LONDON — England's uninspiring 2-2 draw against the Czech Republic on Wednesday was overshadowed by the news that Brian Barwick is to leave his post as chief executive of the Football Association after four years in it.
Barwick, who will be forever remembered as the man who appointed Steve McClaren as England manager, jumped before he was pushed after losing out in the power struggle to new Football Association independent chairman Lord Triesman.
It was not a good week for football hacks — while just about all of Fleet Street's finest predicted Rio Ferdinand would be Fabio Capello's permanent England captain, no one got a whisper of Barwick's unexpected pending departure.